In Remission and On a Mission

Today was a beautiful day as Tim and Marc participated in the Closer to Free Bike Ride for cancer research.  They had great time riding 25 miles with about 250 other participants, several of which were cancer survivors.  Tim wore a sign that read " In Remission and On a Mission" as a testimony of how God has brought him through some dark days and allowed him to participate in this event. It meant so much to Tim to be able to ride.  It is almost 2 years to the day that Tim was first diagnosed with cancer.

Thank you to all those who gave to support and sponsor Tim and Marc - so far they have raised $1125!  Way to go guys!  If you did not get a chance to give, but would like to, you can go to www.rideclosertofree.org and click ride a sponsor.  They will accept sponsors until September 30th.  You can also go to that site to read more about the ride today.  We really appreciate each one of you that sponsored the guys!

Irene

Tree on our car

McKayla and Mark help wash the clothes

We survived the hurricane that came through last week.  We were without electricity, phones and Internet for 5 days.  We did have a tree fall on our car, but the damage was very little. We became very resourceful during our experience - we moved what food we could salvage to coolers and had to venture out to find ice each day.  The kids enjoyed doing laundry in buckets one day and learned what it was like to live "Little House on the Prairie style."  We are so thankful that we had water - while it was cold, it was still water.  Several people in our church have wells, so they have been without water in addition to all the other needs.  We are also thankful that the damage around us was not as severe as those in the town over from us whose homes were completely destroyed by the storm.  Our prayers are with them as they begin the task of rebuilding their lives.

By the way, Happy Birthday to Tim - he is 45 today!!!  He had another good report at the doctor this week and is very much looking forward to the bike ride next Saturday.

New Way to Donate

We are getting closer to the charity bike ride that Tim is participating in and he is very excited.  He and his teammate have been training and working hard to prepare.  We now have a new, more efficient way to donate.  You can go directly to the website: www.rideclosertofree.org.  Then, click on the green button that says "Sponsor a Rider."  You will then be asked to enter first and last name.  Enter: Tim Zacharias.   You will then need to click on Tim's name.  The next page you will enter your donation amount and follow the on-screen instructions.
If you are not able to or are uncomfortable donating online, you can still send your donations directly to us and we will make sure that it gets to the proper place.  (Our address is in the previous post.)
We appreciate all of your donations and support! 

Bike Ride for Cancer Research

It has been over a year now since Tim went through the stem cell treatment.  He is feeling really well and has gained his energy level and stamina back completely.  He just went to the oncologist yesterday for his monthly checkup and for his IV bone strengthening treatment.  All his levels are still at remission levels - Praise the Lord!  God has been so faithful to us throughout this very difficult time and we are grateful that He has chosen to allow Tim to feel so well.

Tim used to love to run in the mornings for exercise, but in the spring of 2009, a few months before he was diagnosed with cancer, he had to give up running because the pain was too much for him.  So, he began biking and really enjoyed it.  I even gave him a custom-built bicycle for Father's day that year.  Two men in our church, Marc Otfinoski and Jim O'Connor, worked to make this bike really special for Tim.  He was enjoying his new found sport and when his back pain became so intense that he had to give up biking as well, and he was very disappointed.  However, just a few months ago, the doctor gave him permission to get back on the bike.  He rides about 3-4 mornings a week and enjoys every minute of it.

The hospital that handled Tim's stem cell transplant is the Smilow Cancer Center at Yale-New Haven in New Haven, Connecticut.  They are holding a "Closer to Free Bike Ride" on Saturday, September 10.  Riding in this event means a great deal to Tim.  His goal is to raise $1,000.  (He is raising money for himself and for a team mate as well.)  The money raised will go towards cancer care and research at the Cancer Center.  If you would be willing to sponsor him in this ride, you can send your donation directly to Tim Zacharias at 23 Bellview Road, Branford, CT 06405 and we will make sure that it gets to the correct place. We will be updating as we get closer, and of course will post pictures and let you know about the ride.  We appreciate your support!

Our Godly Heritage

Tim and I come from fairly different backgrounds. His dad was a pastor, my dad was an Air Force pilot. Tim was raised in Michigan and lived pretty close to most of his extended family. I was raised in several states and even overseas for a short time, and did not live close to any relatives. I have lived in Branford longer than I have ever lived anywhere. Tim is a Yankee; I'm a Southerner. Tim grew up in the country; I am a suburb girl. When referring to a small stream, he says, "crick;" I say, "creek." :) There are lots of other differences in our backgrounds, but there is one common bond that we share - both of our dads handed to us a godly heritage.

Although we grew up in very different parts of the country, we were both raised to love the Lord and had instilled in us a desire to please the Lord. We were taught that Sunday was the Lord's day. It was a day set aside to attend church and to worship the Lord with fellow believers. It was instilled in both of us at a very young age that we would go to church as a family; and as teenagers, we didn't even consider asking if we could do anything else on that day...nothing trumped church. What a valuable lesson they taught us about faithfulness and commitment! God has blessed us for continuing that commitment to be in church each week, and it is amazing to see how the character trait of commitment spills over into so many other areas of our lives.

We were taught - not by constant preaching at us, but by gentle teaching and by quiet example - that our time with the Lord is special, that our testimony before others is of utmost value, that what we say and do has consequences, and that someone is always watching you and learning from you - either good or bad. We were taught to respect our dad and his leadership in our home. Our dads were not perfect, but they certainly lived lives that were worthy of respect and honor. They worked on building and shaping our character, not just our behavior. Instilling godly character traits into our lives was one of their highest goals. They were not concerned about whether or not we made a lot of money and were successful by the world's standards. They were concerned that their children were godly - not just good - and sought to do what God would have us to do.

We both have fond memories of our dads and our time growing up under their influence. Tim's dad, Joe, was a pastor of a small country church in Michigan. His quiet, somewhat obscure ministry left a huge impact on Tim and his siblings. During a difficult time in Tim's life, his dad's non-judgmental ways, his love and his faithful prayers were instrumental in helping draw Tim back to the Lord. Only the Lord knows how many people were influenced by him and his ministry. "Grandpa Zac" went home to be with the Lord several years ago. The legacy of ministry that he passed on to his children is still being lived out today. All three of his children are faithfully serving the Lord and seeking to do their Heavenly Father's will. Grandpa Zac's grandchildren are being taught the things that he passed on to his children. We miss him dearly, but know that he is in the presence of the Lord Whom he loved so much and served so faithfully.

My dad exemplified hard work, quiet strength, wisdom, consistency, and faithfulness to his family, his country and his Lord. I was taught to be patriotic and love and respect my country. My dad is a wonderful dad and an amazing grandpa. He has a corny sense of humor, but that humor has gotten us through some very difficult times! He is not only still attending church, but also still serving in the church. It is a testament to him -and mom!- that all 4 of his children are faithfully serving the Lord either in full-time ministry or as lay servants in the church. His godly heritage is being passed on to his 14 (soon to be 15) grandchildren. He is retired now and is enjoying a slower pace from the fast-paced life of a pilot. However, his faithfulness to the Savior and commitment to his family has not slowed down!

Proverbs 17:6 says, "Children's children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children are their fathers." We both are very grateful for our dads and appreciate their strong influence in our lives. They are both truly the glory of their children. So, on this Father's Day, I just wanted to take the opportunity to honor my wonderful father-in-law and my amazing dad and thank the Lord for giving both Tim and I a godly heritage.

~Stacie